The Newly Revamped Indigo Grill Brings Modern Latin Flavors Back to Little Italy

Indigo Grill in San Diego’s Little Italy recently re-opened its doors with a menu overhaul and fresh new décor. The top-to-bottom remodel gives the decade-old restaurant a hip atmosphere to match its ever-growing and stylish neighborhood.

The Cohn Restaurant Group enlisted Philippe Beltran in providing his signature warmth and vibrant details to the space. Inside, vivid color palettes and industrial elements complement each other, and globally accumulated treasures, such as oversized Argentinean doors and a colorful Mexican screen printer, add to the cultural aesthetics. The restaurant’s exterior foreshadows what’s to come, as it’s modeled after the stone walls of Machu Picchu.

The main dining room is just as welcoming, featuring hand-crafted chandeliers, blue stone tables and copper ceilings. In contrast, Beltran designed a “white room” for private parties with whitewashed walls and white furnishings. Guests can also enjoy San Diego’s sunshine out on the patio, which seats 50, or take their libations indoors to the 12-person bar and communal 10-foot tables.

Indigo’s menu has also been revamped with a focus on Latin influences. Executive Chef Deborah Scott is now joined by Executive Chef Jason Maitland in creating a sophisticated, savory menu which features shareable plates like anticucho boards and platos pequeños, along with dishes like Chef Deborah’s Pipian Rojo Crusted Brie with jalapeño jelly, Fried Whole Branzino and Achiote Marinated Prime Flat Iron, which are all are cooked with extra spices and flavor. Desserts also reflect the menu change with items such as churros with Mexican Abuelita Hot Chocolate, flan and rice pudding brûlée rounding out its offerings.